Hearty Bite’s Return
Heartybite has been silent since March 2021, and I felt it was finally time to resurrect it—this time with a fresh approach. If I'm being honest, I can’t say I missed it. In the early days of the pandemic—and the chaotic stretch that ensued—maintaining a brand that offered no financial return began to feel like a lost cause. The passion I once had for exploring and making new recipes was squeezed out by lockdown, ironically at a time when it seemed like everyone suddenly wanted to be a chefluencer. The relentless pressure to be visible, coupled with how oversaturated the foodie space had become, left me feeling discouraged. Adding a job that required frequent travel didn’t help my anxiety either. Overwhelmed and frustrated, I ultimately deleted the website and stepped away from Hearty Bite altogether.
I've been reflecting on this for a while now, and came to realize that taking a hiatus from hobbies isn’t the worst thing in the world. Over the past three and a half years, I’ve spent time stepping back, exploring externally and internally. Between a new job, moving to a new place, traveling, and even experimenting with bangs, I remained deeply curious about food. I’ll admit I wasn’t cooking as much, but I was still observing, absorbing, and engaging with the world of food in different ways. I wasn’t just eating—I was paying attention to my relationship with various dishes and the memories they evoked. While I occasionally scrolled through social media, I found myself following my own tastes more than the latest trends (though I’ll never pass up an espresso martini or deviled eggs with chili oil).
Yorgos Lanthimos’ Poor Things sparked something in me. There was nothing about the film that went wrong—I was capitvated from start to finish. From its surreal cinematography where we dive into Bella’s hypnotic world to the brilliant performances from the cast (with Mark Ruffalo’s portrayal of the degenerate being my absolute favorite), it easily became my favorite film of 2023. It inspired me to reconnect with the sense of wonder and curiosity we often lose as adults—the kind of unfiltered exploration we once had as kids. I began to see the world around me with fresh eyes, questioning everything and trying to embrace the unknown. Shortly after, I was fortunate enough to start The Artist’s Way in April, thanks to a dear friend :). I know it sounds cliché, but the practice of writing three pages every morning—just letting my thoughts flow onto the page—has had a profound impact on me. Today I hit page 230.
Before cooking, there was art. It wasn’t entirely surprising to me, considering how closely cooking marries art and science. Inspired by Lanthimos’ perspective on creativity and the insights from Cameron’s The Artist’s Way, I dusted off my old sketchbook and picked up a pencil, letting my mind wander onto the page. What followed were a series of spontaneous sketches—strange, surreal drawings and abstract paintings, followed by attempts at figure drawing, and eventually, a fascination with coffee and other beverages. I found myself with a newfound appetite—food and drink, and the act of creating itself.
I’ll spare the details by saying I’m back in the kitchen and sharing my experience with food again. After a period of stepping away, the purpose of Heartybite, and maybe even my own sense of self, has shifted. I sat on this question for some time. How can food and art possibly go hand in hand? Honestly, the answer is still a bit elusive to me. I started having fun experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen, and then creating illustrations to bring those dishes to life visually. The process has become a way to express both my love for cooking and my passion for design, blending flavors and visuals into something truly special. So the goal is to merge the two, using creativity to inspire not only new recipes but also unique culinary experiences through pictoral appreciation.
Okay, I’ll end it with this. There’s a sense of unfamiliarity that comes with returning, as though stepping into a space that has evolved, leaving me to navigate it with a combination of both anticipation and uncertainty. I encountered periods of confusion throughout my hiatus. One of the most significant moments of this ambiguity tends to occur when it came to searching for fulfillment. Finding that sweet spot between a career and a hobby can feel like an insurmountable challenge, one that I’m still dealing with. But by embracing exploration, reflection, and patience, uncertainty can be a powerful tool for self-discovery.
Nothing is linear and how liberating is that? ;)
